Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-02
CLEVELARD'S HARD JOB.
Baltimore American. /

The Fiitieth Congress meets next
Monday. la the House of Repre-
sentatives the Democrats have a
clear majority Of eleven, which
makes them responsible for the
legislation of the session, and upon
their action will, probably, hinge
the campaign of 1888. They will
begin badly. Mr.. Carlisle, whose
seat is contested by Thoebe, the
Labor candidate in his district,
will, undoubtedly, be made speaker
of the House. This has never oc'
Cured before In the history of the
government, and is an implied adj
mission that the Democratic party
is woefully lacking in fit material
for presiding officers. Mr.. Carlisle
will have the appointment OF the
committee which is to decide tho
controversy between himself and
Mr.. Thoebe; or should he delegate
his power to another, or ask the
House to undertake the unusual
task OF forming that committee, he
and his party will have invited the
charges of favoritism and undue
influence, and cannot hereafter
complain if such are made and be-
lieved ny the people.
In the appointment of important
committees the Speaker will be
face to face with the most serious
problem OF the session. Mr.. Car
Isle is free trader, as far as that
doctrine can be safely advocated
before an American constituency,
while Mr.. Randall is an avowed
protectionist, but the latter cannot
be ignored, and Mr.. Carlisle has
already signified his intention to
make him chairman of one of the
most important committees, where
he will not only have an opportuni-
ty of originating legislation, but
by "pooling issues" device with
which the Pennsylvania statesman
is perfectly familiar, will be able to
obstruct and defeat measures OF
the utmost concern to the people
and OF vital interest to the Demo
cratic party. Mr.. RandalPs fol-
lowing is sufficient to bring the
Democratic machinery to a stand
still at any critical juncture, and
some OF his stauncbest supporters
do not come from strong Republi'
can states like Pennsylvania, but
from constituencies which the Dem.
ocrats must hold il they would win
the presidency in 1888.
The difficulties of organization
are no greater than those which
the Democrats must encounter on
the threshold of the session. Some
plan must be devised to confine
the surplus, rapidly accommodating
in the Treasury, within proper lin.
it's. Mr.. Randall has shown far
more nerve than his free. trade col.
leagues, and there is reason to be-
lieve that he considers himself
master OF the situation. The sug-
gestions thus far made looking to a
compromise have either been
thrown out to test the Randall
faction, or they are such as prach-
cally surrender the principles Of the
bulk of the Democratic party, and
which, if adopted, would make
that party infinitely weaker IN a
great national struggle than it now
is.
The situation is entirely different
from that which existed year ago,
Then it was sufficient for the ma
iority of the Democrats to place
themselves on record as true to
their platform, and leave to indi'
vldual constituencies the task OF
reconciling obvious Inconsistencies;
now, however, the disposition Of
the surplus cannot be longer delay
ed. Every day that the accumula'
tiOns of tax receipts are suffered ia
continue the more imminent be-
comes the danger of financial pan
les. There must be practical legis'
lation directly involving party
principles, and the Democrats are
likely to find before the Christmas
festivities have entirely faded from
memory that they are "between
the devil and the deep sea- Pres
ident Cleveland will learn, we
think, before the Fiftieth Congress
has grown hoary that it is easier to
pilot a local election in New York
than the warning factions of bis
party when they are assembled to
deliberate upon matters OF national
importance.
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